alrite fellow pre meds, honest advice needed..

[UCDavisdude]

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hey yall, i feel kind embarassed sharing this but i dont know who else to ask. you all would probably know best. i was sighning up for mcats when they asked if i wanted to be listed as disadvantaged. i am not urm. so should i apply as disadvantaged? i dont know who qualifies for this. heres my story:

grew up raised by my mother. my father left our family while i was in 1st grade. didnt see him much throughout my life and diddnt see much child support either. i was the youngest of 5, my mother had came over to the states due to the vietnam war and when my father left my mother, she did not know how to speak english at the time. i had to work through high school and first year of colege to help with bills. when my mother saw my grades after freshman year, she made me quit working. my mother only made about 15,000 per year. things are better now though, because my siblings have since graduated from college and are helping with everything. fathers deceased by the way.

so i know my story is not out of the ordinary, but i didnt want to apply as disadvantaged and have admissions commitees sny at me for claiming as one when there are many others out that have had it much worst than me. id appreciate the help yall

 

[chandelantern]

First of all, what you mark on the MCAT's doesn't really matter. What you put on your application does, because that is what adcoms will see (i think the MCAT classification is just for statistical purposes.)

You need to think of it like this...do you feel that your situation led to a disadvantage in education? in opportunities? $15k is certainly not much at all, and if you had to work from an early age to help the family (not just for your own spending pleasure or whatever) then I would think that puts you at a disadvantage (although you are right, not really out-of-the ordinary). I'm not trying to dig for more but were there any hardships other than economic? How deep did the economic harship go...were you ever dependent on governmental aid programs? How many hours a week did you have to work, and how did you afford college after you stopped working?

 

[anon-y-mouse]

First of all, what you mark on the MCAT's doesn't really matter. What you put on your application does, because that is what adcoms will see (i think the MCAT classification is just for statistical purposes.)

I echo this. They only use it for statistics and so that recruiters can send you viewbooks and brochures (which you're going to get if you do well, anyway)

Put it on your application, weave it into your personal statement and make it extremely strong. Start with a really stark anecdote about your hardship, and focus on how you've rebounded from it and refocused / committed yourself to medicine as a result.

 

[Elastase]

Applying disadvantaged is based on if you feel you have been disadvantaged. Based on your story, I think I would definitely apply with that description. Think about it, there are many others that have never had to bare those financial and personal difficulties that you have had. For the MCAT it does not really matter but for your application (AMCAS) it does and you have to write an essay about it. Good luck!

 

[06applicant]

hey yall, i feel kind embarassed sharing this but i dont know who else to ask. you all would probably know best. i was sighning up for mcats when they asked if i wanted to be listed as disadvantaged. i am not urm. so should i apply as disadvantaged? i dont know who qualifies for this. heres my story:

grew up raised by my mother. my father left our family while i was in 1st grade. didnt see him much throughout my life and diddnt see much child support either. i was the youngest of 5, my mother had came over to the states due to the vietnam war and when my father left my mother, she did not know how to speak english at the time. i had to work through high school and first year of colege to help with bills. when my mother saw my grades after freshman year, she made me quit working. my mother only made about 15,000 per year. things are better now though, because my siblings have since graduated from college and are helping with everything. fathers deceased by the way.

so i know my story is not out of the ordinary, but i didnt want to apply as disadvantaged and have admissions commitees sny at me for claiming as one when there are many others out that have had it much worst than me. id appreciate the help yall

I think you should apply disadvantaged

 

[riceman04]

hey yall, i feel kind embarassed sharing this but i dont know who else to ask. you all would probably know best. i was sighning up for mcats when they asked if i wanted to be listed as disadvantaged. i am not urm. so should i apply as disadvantaged? i dont know who qualifies for this. heres my story:

grew up raised by my mother. my father left our family while i was in 1st grade. didnt see him much throughout my life and diddnt see much child support either. i was the youngest of 5, my mother had came over to the states due to the vietnam war and when my father left my mother, she did not know how to speak english at the time. i had to work through high school and first year of colege to help with bills. when my mother saw my grades after freshman year, she made me quit working. my mother only made about 15,000 per year. things are better now though, because my siblings have since graduated from college and are helping with everything. fathers deceased by the way.

so i know my story is not out of the ordinary, but i didnt want to apply as disadvantaged and have admissions commitees sny at me for claiming as one when there are many others out that have had it much worst than me. id appreciate the help yall

Actually you would be better off e-mailing aamc about this one.

I am sorry that you had to experience such a hard childhood (and adolescence). But hey, what makes does not break you only makes you stronger.

 

[UCDavisdude]

First of all, what you mark on the MCAT's doesn't really matter. What you put on your application does, because that is what adcoms will see (i think the MCAT classification is just for statistical purposes.)

You need to think of it like this...do you feel that your situation led to a disadvantage in education? in opportunities? $15k is certainly not much at all, and if you had to work from an early age to help the family (not just for your own spending pleasure or whatever) then I would think that puts you at a disadvantage (although you are right, not really out-of-the ordinary). I'm not trying to dig for more but were there any hardships other than economic? How deep did the economic harship go...were you ever dependent on governmental aid programs? How many hours a week did you have to work, and how did you afford college after you stopped working?

yes there were other hardships other than economics,. i grew up without a father in the home. yeah, we didnt have much money, but there was plenty of love in the home.

 

[UCDavisdude]

First of all, what you mark on the MCAT's doesn't really matter. What you put on your application does, because that is what adcoms will see (i think the MCAT classification is just for statistical purposes.)

You need to think of it like this...do you feel that your situation led to a disadvantage in education? in opportunities? $15k is certainly not much at all, and if you had to work from an early age to help the family (not just for your own spending pleasure or whatever) then I would think that puts you at a disadvantage (although you are right, not really out-of-the ordinary). I'm not trying to dig for more but were there any hardships other than economic? How deep did the economic harship go...were you ever dependent on governmental aid programs? How many hours a week did you have to work, and how did you afford college after you stopped working?

oh yeah, we also lived in a duplex and one night, the duplex connected to ours had a drive by shooting, and i witnessed someone die in front of me after being shot. i just dont want committees to think that i am whining about it, thats all.

 

[UCDavisdude]

Applying disadvantaged is based on if you feel you have been disadvantaged. Based on your story, I think I would definitely apply with that description. Think about it, there are many others that have never had to bare those financial and personal difficulties that you have had. For the MCAT it does not really matter but for your application (AMCAS) it does and you have to write an essay about it. Good luck!

yeah it was wierd, i was putting all my info on the mcat registration today, and they asked if i wanted to be put on some type of list that was sent to schools that said i was either urm or disadvantaged. i dunno.

 

[Elastase]

Are you involved in helping others that have gone through similar challenges (in the Vietnamese or other underserved community)? I am hoping you are, because it can really bring out a positive from the challenges you faced as a kid. This adds another dimension to you being disadvantaged, it shows your understanding and shows that you used it to help others, etc.

 

[UCDavisdude]

Are you involved in helping others that have gone through similar challenges (in the Vietnamese or other underserved community)? I am hoping you are, because it can really bring out a positive from the challenges you faced as a kid. This adds another dimension to you being disadvantaged, it shows your understanding and shows that you used it to help others, etc.

i am a peer helper, i talk to others who has had troubles, i mostly did 1 on 1's with students, one students father died and i was sent to talk to him, keep in touch, etc and another high school student woke up one morning to find that his father left the family in the middle of the night. in the peer helping program, i the one that would be the one chosen to help those that have been through some of the things i have.

 

[Its_MurDAH]

//edit

 

[Its_MurDAH]

i am a peer helper, i talk to others who has had troubles, i mostly did 1 on 1's with students, one students father died and i was sent to talk to him, keep in touch, etc and another high school student woke up one morning to find that his father left the family in the middle of the night. in the peer helping program, i the one that would be the one chosen to help those that have been through some of the things i have.

All i gotta say is...come time for med school apps you need to milk the disadvantaged angle for all its worth. Not to be a b!tch or anything, but people like us (premeds) will use anything and everything possible that can help set us apart from the rest and give us a leg up. You not only have that but have also shown how you are helping others in similar situations such as you were in. Use it, man. It is a great thing to have. As twisted as it would sound, the fact that you were disadvantaged is going to become the greatest advantage you have in this process.

I'm just keeping it real. Good luck with everything.

You deserve it.

 

[UCDavisdude]

All i gotta say is...come time for med school apps you need to milk the disadvantaged angle for all its worth. Not to be a b!tch or anything, but people like us (premeds) will use anything and everything possible that can help set us apart from the rest and give us a leg up. You not only have that but have also shown how you are helping others in similar situations such as you were in. Use it, man. It is a great thing to have. As twisted as it would sound, the fact that you were disadvantaged is going to become the greatest advantage you have in this process.

I'm just keeping it real. Good luck with everything.

You deserve it.

yeah i think i will apply as disadvantaged, just afraid they are gonna think that i am asking for a hand out, .

 

[Saluki]

yeah i think i will apply as disadvantaged, just afraid they are gonna think that i am asking for a hand out, .

I came from a similar situation, only one of my parents has mental problems and the other one is evil.... I decided not to apply disadvantaged, because I didn't want to seem like a whiner. Then, at one of my interviews, my interviewer actually asked me why I hadn't applied as disadvantaged after reading my little autobiographical essay. She seemed almost suspicious. I'd say go ahead and do it, though I don't know how much it will help...

 

[UCDavisdude]

I came from a similar situation, only one of my parents has mental problems and the other one is evil.... I decided not to apply disadvantaged, because I didn't want to seem like a whiner. Then, at one of my interviews, my interviewer actually asked me why I hadn't applied as disadvantaged after reading my little autobiographical essay. She seemed almost suspicious. I'd say go ahead and do it, though I don't know how much it will help...

i assuming you ended up getting accepted rite?

 

[zook]

yeah i think i will apply as disadvantaged, just afraid they are gonna think that i am asking for a hand out, .

I wouldn't be worried about that too much. When you write about it or talk about it in an interview, I think it will come across whether or not you are looking for a handout. Showing how you have overcome these challenges and helped those in similar situations will show that you're genuine. And like Murdah said, if you don't sign up for disadvantaged, someone else will. Maybe you'll get into med school anyways. Maybe you'll get into your DREAM med school anyways. Maybe you'll get some nice scholarships. Or maybe it'll go to the guy that signed up as disadvantaged.

Most of the people here wouldn't be here if they had gone through situations like yours. Everyone else has had their break, whether it was being born into a family of physicians, having rich parents, going to good schools growing up, etc. You don't have to feel guilty about getting a break. You deserve it. 🙂

 

[chandelantern]

yeah i think i will apply as disadvantaged, just afraid they are gonna think that i am asking for a hand out, .

No, that's what it's there for. When you apply, they give you a section to explain why you feel you were disadvantaged (about a paragraph) and how you described it is great (maybe play it up a little more, as suggested above, including not just economic, but also the poor neighborhood, with the violence example) but tone is everything. You don't sound like you're saying "pity me" or that you are whining, and it is just allowing the adcoms to learn more about you.

My situation was a little different, but I was also debating whether or not I should apply disadvantaged. After speaking with my advisors (and being affiliated with several pre-med organizations and realizing how few pre-meds are disadvantaged) I did. As long as you realize that there are people out there who have it a lot rougher (as I'm sure you do since you are involved in peer support programs) you'll be fine! Like the others said, use it to your advantage.

 

[UCDavisdude]

hey thanks alot yall, i appreciate the help very much. ive been debating in my mind about this all day, but you all have made it lots easier. i appreciate it.